of Palsy. ―― Church of St. George. ―― Beautiful Ruin. ―― Nether Bethhoron. ―― Wretchedness. ―― Upper Bethhoron. ―― Battle-field of Gibeon. ―― The Battle. ―― Wonderful Correspondence. ―― Testimony of the Rocks. ―― Ajalon. ―― Sun and Moon stand still. ―― City of Gibeon. ―― Modern Town. ―― Gibeonites. ―― History. ―― Death of the Gladiators. ―― Pool of Gibeon. ―― Murder of Amasa. ―― Solomon’s Dream. ―― “The Look-out.” ―― Mizpeh. ―― National Rendezvous. ―― Ebenezer Stone. ―― Saul chosen King. ―― Minaret. ―― Vast and magnificent Prospect. PHILISTIA is among the richest sections of Palestine, and is scarcely surpassed in fertility by any other portion of land upon the globe. Consisting of that vast maritime plain extending from Joppa on the north to Gerar on the south, it is washed by the Mediterranean on the west, and is bounded on the east by the Mountains of Judea. Originally occupied by the Avims, the descendants of Cush,[375] it subsequently became the possession of the Philistines. In the division of the land it fell to the tribes of Simeon and Dan, who, however, were never fully able to subdue their allotted provinces. At present it is inhabited by Moslem Arabs, whose humble towns occupy the sites of more renowned cities. On the origin of the Philistines the learned are not agreed. In the absence of authentic records and of distinctive customs, it is difficult to decide whether they came from the hills of Cappadocia, the islands of Cyprus and Crete, or from Lower Egypt. Their national name, signifying “strangers,” implies their foreign birth. Nor is it definitely known whether they came in possession of their new territory by conquest, or by alliances formed with the aborigines of Canaan, who, in process of time, were absorbed by the more rapid increase and superior strength of their allies. Rising to greatness from an humble beginning, their history forms part of the inspired narrative, and the whole country now bears the name of Palestine, or “the Land of the Philistines.” Dividing their possession into five lordships, they founded as many royal cities, which are known in Scripture by the names of Gaza, Ashdod, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron. Idolaters in faith and practice, their chief divinity was Dagon, the “Fish-god,” whose dominion over men, beasts, and fowls was represented by the triple formation of his body. He had a human head, a horse’s neck, and trunk and limbs covered with the feathers of different birds. His wife Derceto, “the Fish-goddess,” or Syrian Venus, had the form of a beauteous maid from her waist up, and thence downward resembled a fish.